Antioxidant intake among Brazilian adults - The Brazilian Osteoporosis Study (BRAZOS): a cross-sectional study

Background  

Antioxidant nutrient intake and the lesser formation of free radicals seem to contribute to chronic diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intake profile of the main dietary antioxidants in a representative sample of the adult Brazilian population and discuss the main consequences of a low intake of these micronutrients on overall health.     

Novel Esterification of Glycerol Catalysed by Tin Chloride (II): A Recyclable and Less Corrosive Process for Production of Bio-Additives

Abstract  

In this work, a novel process based on use of a SnCl₂·2H₂O catalyst which is less corrosive, inexpensive, and a water tolerant Lewis acid was employed for synthesis of fuel bio-additives from glycerol. High yields and selectivities were achieved for glycerol esterification with acetic acid under mild reaction conditions. The SnCl₂ catalyst showed to be as active as p-toluene sulfonic and sulfuric acid, catalysts commonly used in acid-catalysed esterification reactions. However, its use has significant advantages in comparison to these Br?nsted acid catalysts, including lower reactor corrosion and unnecessary neutralization at the end reaction. The SnCl₂ catalyst can also be recovered and reused without loss of catalytic activity. Additionally, effects of reaction temperature, HOAc:glycerol molar ratio and catalyst concentration on both selectivity and yield of glycerol acetates were also investigated. The lower corrosiveness, facilitated handling, as well as potential for reuse without activity loss after simple recycle protocols are positive aspects of SnCl₂ catalysts.     

One-pot two-step lipase-catalyzed synthesis of α,ω-thiophene-capped poly(ε-caprolactone) macromonomers and their use in electropolymerization

Macromonomers based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with α,ω-thiophene functional end groups were prepared in bulk by enzymatic polymerization using immobilized Candida Antarctica lipase B (Novozym 435) as the catalyst. In the synthesis strategy, 3-thiophenemethanol was used to initiate the enzyme-assisted ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) to yield PCL with α-thiophene end group (initiation reaction, ThPCL) and then 3-thiopheneacetic acid was added to prepolymerized ε-CL to introduce ω-thiophene functionality in termination step (ThPCLTh). Macromonomers were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, FTIR, and GPC. Moreover, the obtained macromonomers were employed in electropolymerization experiments and copolymers with thiophene or pyrrole were synthesized through their end thiophene groups. These polymers were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), FTIR, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Conductivity measurements were carried out by the four-probe technique.     

Characterization of Terebinth Fruit Oil and Optimization of Acidolysis Reaction with Caprylic and Stearic Acids

Characterization of the fatty acid and triacylglycerol composition of terebinth fruit oil and the synthesis of structured lipids (SL) were performed in this study. Interesterification reaction of terebinth fruits oil (Pistacia terebinthus L.) with caprylic acid (CA) and stearic acid (SA) to produce a SL was performed in n-hexane using immobilized sn-1,3 specific lipase from Mucor miehei. The effect of reaction conditions and relationship among them were analyzed by response surface methodology (RSM) with a four-factors five-level central composite rotatable experimental design. The four major factors chosen were enzyme load (10–30 wt% based on substrates), reaction time (7–18 h), reaction temperature (40–60 °C) and substrate mole ratio (terebinth oil:SA:CA 1:1:1–1:1:3). The best fitting quadratic model was determined by regression and backward elimination. Based on the fitted model, the optimal reaction conditions for the incorporation of CA and SA were found to be temperature 50 °C; time 18 h; enzyme load 30 wt%; substrate ratio 1:1:3. Under these optimum conditions, the incorporation of SA and CA could be obtained as 19 and 14%, respectively.     

Characterization of Crude Watermelon Seed Oil by Two Different Extractions Methods

The aim of this paper was to study the physical–chemical composition of the watermelon seed oil extracted by a mechanical process using an expeller and by a chemical process using hexane as the solvent. The watermelon seed oil had a high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids. The two primary sterols were stigmasterol and β-sitosterol, which corresponded to approximately 47 and 30% of the total phytosterols. The oil had a low tocopherol content (65.19 mg/kg for S and 73.19 mg/kg for E). Comparing the two extraction methods, extraction by expeller produced an oil of superior quality with respect to oxidative stability, carotenoids and Lovibond color. No significant differences were found between the two extraction methods with respect to the minor components of the oil considered as functional, such as phytosterols.     

A Perinatal Palatable High-Fat Diet Increases Food Intake and Promotes Hypercholesterolemia in Adult Rats

The main goal of the present study was to evaluate the long-term effects of a perinatal palatable high-fat diet on the food intake and cholesterol profile of adult rats. Male Wistar rats (aged 22 days) were divided into two groups according to their mother’s diet during gestation and lactation (C _p, n = 10; pups from control mothers; and HL_p n = 10; pups from mothers fed a palatable high-fat diet). At the 76th day, pups were housed individually for 14 days, and daily food consumption was determined during a period of 6 days. Blood from 100-day-old rats was sampled by cardiac puncture. Fasting (12 h) serum glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides (TG), and VLDL-C levels were determined. The measurement of food intake was higher in the animals submitted to a hyperlipidic diet during the perinatal period. Serum total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG, VLDL-C and glycemia were increased in the HL_p group compared to the control group. Our findings show that an early life environment with a high-fat diet can contribute to metabolic disease in later life.     

Nanocomposites derived from cellulose acetate and highly branched alkoxysilane

Highly branched alkoxysilane (HB) units were prepared in situ via a Michael‐type reaction between pentaerythrithol triacrylate and aminopropyltriethoxysilane. These units were used as an inorganic component for the modification of cellulose acetate (CA) films using the sol–gel process. The thermal and dynamic‐mechanical behaviors, the morphology, and the dimensional stability of the modified CA films were analyzed. The siloxane‐modified CA films showed thermal stability similar to pure CA, but the residue content at 900°C increased with the addition of HB units. The morphology of these films was characterized by siloxane nanodomains dispersed in the CA matrix, with good interfacial adhesion between the phases. Moreover, the CA/siloxane nanocomposite films showed improved dimensional stability in comparison with CA, i.e., in the presence of HB, the dimensional change was reduced to around 50% of the value observed for pure CA. Finally, a complex dynamic‐mechanical behavior was obtained for the nanocomposite films, as a consequence of the heterogeneous morphology. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

The final bleaching of eucalypt kraft pulps with hydrogen peroxide: relationship with industrial ECF bleaching history and cellulose degradation

BACKGROUND: The process of chemical pulp bleaching is based for the most part in chlorine dioxide within elemental chlorine free (ECF) technologies. The use of greener alternatives such as bleaching with hydrogen peroxide (P stage) is not widely used owing to selectivity concerns related to transition metal‐catalyzed decomposition reactions. Even at the final stage where peroxide is recognized to boost brightness and improve the brightness stability of the bleached pulp, cellulose degradation often overcomes these advantages. This paper presents the results of studies intended to optimize final peroxide bleaching performance considering two standard ECF industrial bleaching sequences: the conventional DED and the ECF‐light OQ(PO)D (stages name: D—chlorine dioxide; E—alkaline extraction; O—oxygen; Q—chelation, (PO)—hydrogen peroxide pressurized with oxygen). RESULTS: The addition of sodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA) was the most effective option in terms of DED pulp bleachability and selectivity with hydrogen peroxide, as well as in terms of brightness reversion. As regards the OQ(PO)D pulp, a blend of DTPA and magnesium was the most beneficial in those properties. CONCLUSIONS: The choice of the best hydrogen peroxide stabilizer, among the different tested combinations of magnesium and chelants (EDTA and DTPA) studied, in terms of pulp bleachability, bleaching selectivity and brightness reversion is dependent on the impact of the previous bleaching stages on metallic nature and content. The pulp Mg/(Fe + Cu) ratio was highlighted as a process parameter controlling cellulose degradation in peroxide bleaching. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

A Decade of Oxothiomolybdenum Wheels: Synthesis,Behavior in Solution,and Electrocatalytic Properties

The last decade has see the development of sulfur-containing polyoxometalates (POTMs) as a subclass of the polyoxometalate family. The structural and physico-chemical properties of this emerging class of compounds is dominating by the striking coordination properties of the [Mo₂O₂S₂(OH₂)₆]²⁺ oxothio cation, used as a building block. The cyclic topology of this arrangement corresponds to the main feature of the {Mo₂O₂S₂}-based compounds, able to develop cycle-based chemistry. The control of the linear oligomerization of the {Mo₂O₂S₂} core is achieved by the presence of the anionic component, which acts as a template. Here, we report on recent examples which illustrate how the use of various template ions such as halide, sulfate, polyphosphate, and polycarboxylate anions allows to tune the nuclearity of the inorganic host from {Mo₈} to {Mo₁₈}. A special focus on behavior in solution is given, highlighting the dynamic and fluxional character of these host–guest systems. The Diffusion Ordered Spectroscopy (DOSY) ¹H NMR, carried out on a large series of cycle-based and capsule-like compounds, demonstrates that such a method can be applied for the speciation of POM anions in solution. Finally, electrocatalytic behavior of the {Mo₂O₂S₂}-based compounds is presented. Preliminary results show that the electrocatalytic reduction of protons into hydrogen (HER) could constitute one of the most relevant applications for this class of molecular compounds.     

Characterization and electrical conductivity of poly(ethylene glycol)/polyacrylonitrile/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites

Poly(Lactic acid) (PLA)‐layered silicate nanocomposite films were prepared by solvent casting method. The films were irradiated with Co⁶⁰ radiation facility at dose of 30 kGy. The effect of γ irradiation on mechanical properties of the neat PLA and nanocomposites was evaluated by data obtained from tensile testing measurements. The tensile strength of the irradiated PLA films increased with addition of 1 wt % triallyl cyanurate indicating crosslink formation. Significant ductile behavior was observed in the PLA nanocomposites containing 4 pph of nanoclay. Incorporation of nanoclay particles in the PLA matrix stimulated crystal growth as it was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The morphology of the nanocomposites characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction revealed an exfoliated morphology in the PLA nanocomposite films containing 4 pph of nanoclay. Only very small changes were observed in the chemical structure of the irradiated samples as it was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011